Machine for unloading vessels



2 Sheets- Sheet- 1.

P. IMHORST. Machine for Unloading Vessels. No. 223,350. Patented Jan. 6, |880.

l Invenor: j; gf :7

N,PETF.RS. PHOTO-LHHOGRAPRER. WASHKNGTON. D C.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. P. IMHORST. Machine for Unloading Vessels. No. 223,350. .Patented Jan. 6, 1880.

N. PETERS, PHOTOAUTHDGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

FERDINAND IMHORST, OFl BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

MACHINE FOR UNLOADING VESSELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 223,350, dated January 6, 1880.

l Application filed December 5, 1879. l

To all whom it may concerny Be it known that I, FERDINAND IMHoRs'r, of the county and city of Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented new and useful Improvements for Moving Articles in Bulk, such as grain, ores, coal, ir-c., toward desirable localities, of which the following is a specification.

My improvements are directed toward feedin g elevators by means of machinery and this machinery consists, partly, of a combination of slides or slan ting boards of various dimensions and pitch, but whose lowest points combine near the gate of a box, or of the elevator proper, which is att-ached to the box, hin, house, or compartment of a vessel, for the purposes of raising the mass by means of the elevatorbuckets when the gate is opened, the tloor being made of such a combination of inclines as is found in a hopper. rI`he lowest points are directed toward the elevator. The whole mass within the space will, by its own weight, move toward its lowest points and be removed by the elevator.

The second feature of my invention is also directed toward moving merchandise in bulk toward the elevators by means of a combination of slides with a combination of endless chains, iron cross-bars, and ilexible belts lined with chains and combined crosswise with metal bars. rIhis combination of belts, chains7 and bars is to be set in motion by various shaftings, cog-wheels, and pulleys constructed eX- pressly for that purpose, and to be worked either by the machinery of a vessel or by an engine constructed expressly for that purpose.

lIhe third feature of my invention is directed toward providing a belt strong enough to be pulled through a heavy mass of ores or coal or grain without being torn to pieces by the machinery and the heavy Weights resting upon it. Therefore l have constructed a belt of heavy iron chains and connected same at intervals with iron cross-bars to push the mass ahead.

Figure l shows a vertical longitudinal section'of a box, bin, house, or compartment of a vessel, with belts, chains, cross vbars, and slides, boxes, and elevators with gates and machinery. Fig. 2 shows a horizontal section and plan of the same. Fig. 3 shows avertical longitudinal section of a box, bin, house,

buckets from the pressure of the surrounding mass. b shows a gate used for the purpose of admitting the mass to the buckets of the elevator E; then, by raising the gates b by means of wheel and shaft l1., the mass to be moved may be taken up by the buckets of the elevator E.

A continual supply of the mass is obtained by revolving the shaftings and wheels, as shown by devices numbered 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 l() l1.. rlhese operate then upon the wheels and shaftings i' Arand endless chains F, with connecting cross-bars H. The mass to be moved is carried by these-chains and the superimposed pieces in the direction of the several arrow-heads until it reaches the' elevator E. When merchandise of small particles, such as grain, coal-dust, dto., has to be moved, itis preferable to use closed belts made of canvas or other ileXible material, and strengthened with chains and cross-bars fastened firmly to the canvas by means of rings, bolts, and rivets, thereby forming a tight belting of great strength and durability. In Figs. l, 2, the letters M M show such a exible belting in combination with chains F and cross-bars H.

D shows the slides or slanting boards as fastened securely to the sides of the box, bin, house, or compartment of a vessel, for the purposes of depositing all articles within its reach upon the belts below.

N shows double slides or roof, for the purpose of preventing the mass from accumulating behind the box B, and serves to precipitate the merchandise onto the belts running on each side. The slides, in combination with the various belts, are arranged in such a manner, by having the belts run at an angle to- IOO ward each other, that not a particle of the mass Will remain at rest when the Whole niaehinery is set in motion.

G shows the eXtra flooring1 required to prevent the mass from dropping` through the beltings to the space underneath.

ln Fig. 3 the Hoor S S within the box, bin, house, or compartment of a vessel is raised to such a pitch that the mass placed upon it will slide by its own Weight toward the box B and elevator Fl, and will enter through the `gate b when same is raised by Wheel and rod h, and the parts of the mass Within the reach of the elevator-buckets will be hoisted.

Q Qshow the main shaft, by which the Whole machinery for feeding elevators, and also the elevator itself, are set in motion.

' What I claim is--V '1. In combination With aboX, bin, house, or compartment of a vessel, A, the sloping floor or bottom S S, and Whose lower points ineet near the elevator E, the box B, and gate b, constructed in the manner and for the purposes substantially as described.

V2. In combination with a box, bin, house, or compartment of a Vessel, the endless chains F, with connecting` cross-bars H,y and sliding boards, as D and N, arranged in the manner and for the purposes substantially as described.

3. The endless chains F, with crossbars H, in combination with flexible belt M, arranged in the manner and for the purposes snbstalr tially as described.

4, The combination'of chains and crossbars shown by F and H, forming` an endless belt, arranged in the manner and for the purposes substantially as described.

5. The combination ot' the shaft and pulley Q and r with belting's M, chains F, bars H, slides D and N, boX B, with elevator E and gate b, all within a box, bin, house, or compartment of a vessel, arranged in the manner and for thepurposes substantially as described.

6. In combination With a box, bin, house, or compartment of a vessel, two or more endless belts moving at an angle toward each other, and operating in such a manner that articles placed at a point controlled by either of such belts will be carried finally toward the elevator E, arranged in the manner and for the purposes substantially as described.

FERDINAND IMHORST.

Witnesses:

H. B. LANGWORTHY, B. H. WAN'LREN. 

